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Wow, Rickey! You can really see your progress. What a difference the last year has had in your playing. Great job!
I am enjoying these monthly challenge threads so much. Not only for myself, but to see everyone else’s posts and feedback. All of it is so fun and helpful to learn from! This month is my first one participating, but I’ve gone back to see the previous months before I joined RC101. What a great community!
Here’s a progress video after trying to work on that thumb placement and playing it through a little more smoothly. While working on the things Andrew mentioned, I also started experimenting on trying the fancy strum he does. It’s a lot harder than he makes it look.
The longer I work on it, the more I start to resent the tune because I have been playing it so many times and it’s really short (LOL). I’m starting to nit-pick too much, so I’m just going to post it as it is. That last harmonic is a hit or a miss and it was better in the first video (I smacked it bit too hard in the wrong spot this time, but no ukuleles were harmed during the recording of this video). 😉
Thanks, Andrew!
So…DILEMMA. I have always had this problem where I don’t know how to hold the ukulele properly. I promise, I read that module more than once in the Beginner’s Course (lol). To explain – I use Form 2 on my left hand because Form 1 feels super awkward and unbalanced (as in, some chords and fretting positions may be easier to play on Form 1, but the neck falls while I try to transition from Form 2 to 1, taking the rest of the ukulele with it). I don’t know how to hold it up unless I’m using Form 2 and I haven’t figured out how YOUR ukulele seems to defy gravity. So in order not to pause, I have been avoiding using Form 1 (*cringe* I know, shame on me).
BUT since you gave me that feedback, I have been practicing Form 1 and it is getting a bit more comfortable. I’ve also been working on my fluidity in the piece and I *think* it’s improving. I’ll post another video in the next couple of days to show you my progress on both points. 🙂
I might have been that pilot in a past life.
I got the shirt from a former coworker whose brother started a racing club? I’m not really sure. I just have a thing for pandas (and it’s the logo on the back that I liked).
Anyway, sorry to have hijacked the thread with my babblings! If I’m brave enough, I might try America the Beautiful before the month is out or at least a cleaner version of Yankee Doodle. I think level 3 is a little out of my reach, though.
Thanks for challenging us, Andrew!
OMG, wow. I might have tried everything EXCEPT that. LOL! I thought it needed to be in html and was trying the embedding code. Figures I was over thinking it.
Thanks, Robin.
Okay, so here’s my rough attempt at Yankee Doodle.
I can’t seem to figure out how to embed the video right to the post. 🙁
Marni – the Concert size that Andrew mentioned is also going to be available soon at Uke Republic, but they currently have the Soprano size (20 frets) available now.
Or, if you’re really set on a Concert size, you might look into the Mahogany version. If going for the Mahogany, they also have a turtle design version which I have been wanting myself. 😉
Just a thought!
I wasn’t able to do the harmonic in bar 8 either, but I’m able to get the sound maybe 10% of the time now. It’s a pretty sound when I can manage it, so I see why Andrew added that in there. It put a dopey smile on my face the first time I got my uke to make that sound. It was so satisfying! Haha!
Marni, I have a concert size and I couldn’t get my uke to make the sound Andrew did on that last chord for Yankee Doodle. I can think of several reasons why (LOL), but I decided to just pluck it (or strum it) at the regular octave on the neck. Can’t win ’em all!
I’m so new that I know I won’t be able to do either of the other song choices. 😉
Anyone on the forum with experience playing Yankee Doodle have the same problem? If so, what did you end up doing?
Yup, I’ll try to set up my phone while doing Our First Song and post it to YouTube. It’s supposed to be the easiest but it also accentuated my bad form. Not to mention my ill timing. -_-
I got distracted looking back at July 2017’s Monthly Challenge where Our First Song was featured. I ended up scrolling through the entire thread observing and reading your feedback for those who participated. So fun!
I’m reviving this post from nearly two years ago. I am having the SAME problem. I have a hard time using Form 1 most of the time and as soon as I use Form 2, I end up muting the first string more often than not. 🙁
I surmise it’s because I have short stubby fingers and as soon as I relax my left index finger when it’s not playing a string, I mute the first string. FRUSTRATING. I constantly have to remind myself to keep my left index straight and my palm angled up more (which looks like what Andrew is doing?).
THIS. This whole definition could not be more accurate! I’ve definitely hit that roadblock you’re describing. Seeing it articulated here gives me complete confidence I’ve found the right teaching site to get me to that next level. Thanks!!
“Beginners have a decent knowledge of the basics including: Cowboy chords (the basic chords at the beginning of the neck: think C, G, Am for example), simple strum patterns, and simple fingerpicking patterns.
Typically, a beginner feels limited in what they can play. In other words, they usually gravitate towards playing a popular song that uses only a handful of chords involving a basic strumming pattern. The problem that happens, is that they get bored and/or the ukulele part requires singing to accompany it; and not everyone wants to sing. So they end up getting stuck in this routine of learning new songs, but the technique and skill required to play it, never progresses.”
Thanks, Andrew! I’ll definitely check out the Learning Paths. It sounds kinda familiar…maybe I saw you answer someone else about that in another post or video.
Bondi is a very cool company. So far, they have had excellent customer service and response times. Thank goodness for that because I feel like I’m getting some buzzing coming from the bridge that I never got with my Kala. I’m wondering if it’s me or the instrument…
I love Katie from One Music School! That’s where I decided I’d try Bondi (from her recommendation).
Suzie, you put all that together without access to the second half of the lesson or the tab viewer?! That is amazing! Brava!
Am I alone in finding it hard to memorize the pieces? (@_@)
I’m impressed with all the submissions!
Amy, I just joined the community, so this thread is a few months old. I’m not sure if you found a soprano with more frets around the price range you mentioned, but I thought I’d throw this out there anyway in case you’re still looking. Kala KA-SLNG or Kala KA-15SLNG which is even more affordable.
